Excessive cosmetics
“It’s weird that in all your time as a transgender person, you’ve never experienced homophobia or whatever.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, all transgender people complain about the discrimination or harassment they experience. But you haven’t. It must just be the nice neighbourhood we live in.”
“Maybe.” We do live at the epicentre of LGBTIQ acceptance, which is to say, affluent North Canberra suburbia.
“Another thing I still don’t get. What is it about excessive makeup?”
“Huh?”
“The defining feature of transgender people is excessive amounts of makeup.”
Inwardly I smile because I know that he figures any makeup is an excess of makeup, whether the wearer is cis or trans, male or female or anywhere between. I say that maybe it’s just that he notices the makeup being worn by some, and then others who don’t wear a lot he hasn’t even noticed are trans.
“Well, there is that,” he concedes unconvinced, then insists, “but the thing in common with transgender people at my school is excessive amounts of makeup.”
“There are multiple trans people at your school?”
“Well, I know at least three in the years ahead of mine.”
I figure the makeup means they are all transitioning to female, which he confirms. I point out there may be others transitioning the other way, plus those who are doing it without the makeup – how would he tell?
I explain to him that one of the reasons I use makeup is to conceal my masculine features: this is helpful to me because then I look more like I feel. He accepts this explanation and we move on in our day.
Later, I find myself wondering about the kids at his school. I wish I knew more about the differences in experience, between younger and older trans people. What is it to use makeup as part of projecting your identity during teenage transition, supported with hormones, compared to my use of it to mask male features, having chosen to go without medical transition? Are they the same experience or not?
My main thought, though, is how great it is that these teenagers who aren’t comfortable with their assigned gender identity are free to better be themselves. As far as I am concerned, they can have all the makeup they want. I hope they have fun with it!
